climate
21 Because the flow is diverted towards the poles and roughly enters the atmosphere on the northern hemisphere near the Arctic Circle, the Aurora Borealis is usually only visible there. However, during periods of strong solar activity, the lights can be seen much further south. The force of the solar winds and the density of particles in it, furthermore determine the intensity of the Aurora. Before science came along with its physical explanations of the Aurora, the northern peoples had their own views of its meaning and genesis. And anyone who has experienced this alienating and vast display of colours and shapes will understand that these lights must have something to do with the spiritual world. There were several explanations for the northern lights in Sámi lore. The lights were thought to be the place where the souls of the deceased now dwell – the lights as the ancestral matter of which the afterlife is made. Other explanations render the lights a divine power. Other Sámi thought of the Aurora as a giant fox that swishes its tail over the dark taiga. The Finnish word for the Aurora, revontulet, comes from this idea. It literally translates ‘fox fire’. The activity of the northern lights varies from year to year and from season to season. In principle, the lights are present throughout the year, but the midnight sun makes them invisible in the summer season. Tips about watching the Aurora Borealis are given on page 201.
landscape
The northern lights or Aurora Borealis.